Uneducated people about Hispanic culture.

I met a guy recently at my job who is a Spanish-immigrant worker in the U.S. His name is Felipe Arrabal. He usually comes in and speaks Spanish to me since his English is less than fluent and he plans on returning home in about 2 years. Usually, though, he's given funny looks when he speaks to me in Spanish. It's probably because he has light-brown hair, fair skin, and blue eyes. I'm usually asked questions such as, "I didn't know a White guy could speak Spanish so well!" or "He must have a Hispanic wife to know it so well". Such comments are not only ridiculous sounding, but ignorant as well.

Hispanic does not equal, "Dark skin, brown hair, brown eyes". Many mestizos and indigenous speakers share those characteristics, but it would take a pretty ignorant person to not know that the origin of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture is Spain, on the Iberian Penenisula of Europe (which, unless one doesn't know, is the origin of "white" people).

It tends to be predominantly (though not always) White people making these observations. What shocks them even more is when they learn that a light-skinned Hispanic is from Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Mexico, or Cuba. Aren't those where the dark-skinned people are from? I guess that's what happens with American education and a pop-culture-centric society.

For the record: hispanics can be of any skin color, hair color, or eye color. Please do not open your mouth and make yourself look a fool by thinking and saying something contrary and asinine.

Another good article.

http://www.cwsworkshop.org/pdfs/WIWP2/4Underst_White_Priv.PDF

It has to do with 'Understanding White Privilege'.
Interesting read.